Oft-cited reasons for supporting local farmers and retailers are worth repeating. According to the Crescent City Farmers Market and Stay Local!, an initiative of the Urban Conservancy that promotes building a strong economy based on locally owned and operated businesses, the benefits of supporting local farmers and shopping locally are manifold.

Eating and purchasing local goods can:

• Protect local character and prosperity.

• Promote community well-being and build strong neighborhoods by connecting residents to area farmers and other locally owned businesses.

• Preserve genetic diversity in plant species and provide a broader range of product choices that are not controlled by large-scale, commercial agriculture or national sales plans.

• Maintain a healthy environment by supporting small farmers who value sustainable farming practices and untainted natural resources, while enabling them to stay in business rather than sell their land for development.

• Prevent the destruction of open spaces, urban sprawl and habitat and wildlife loss associated with big-box retailers.

• Support and sustain the local economy by putting money directly in the hands of farmers.

• Reduce energy use and shrink your carbon footprint by consuming products that have traveled shorter distances and often require less packaging. " Andert

www.staylocal.org

www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.org